Massachusetts Makes History Again

MassEquality celebrates historic LGBTQ victories

NOVEMBER 4, 2014 — BOSTON — Nineteen of the 23 candidates endorsed by the MassEquality PAC successfully won their seats, including Maura Healey for Attorney General. The MassEquality PAC was the first organization to endorse in the Attorney General’s race. MassEquality Executive Director Kara Coredini issued the following statement in response:

“This election offered historic victories for LGBTQ equality. Up and down the ballot, statewide and locally, voters chose pro-LGBTQ champions. There are still so many issues to address for the LGBTQ community, from elders aging into isolation, to youth forced into homelessness, to basic nondiscrimination protections for transgender people. We are pleased that voters have chosen champions who have already proven that they will work to address these needs in our Commonwealth.

“We are thrilled with the election of Maura Healey for Attorney General, who will make history when she takes office as the country’s first openly gay state attorney general. Maura’s leadership on LGBTQ issues has improved our Commonwealth and our country, and MassEquality looks forward to continuing to work with her to continue the Commonwealth’s national leadership on LGBTQ issues.

“Although our long-time and uniquely accomplished partner on LGBTQ issues, Martha Coakley, did not win the race for governor, the success of pro-LGBTQ champions up and down the ballot sends a clear message that Massachusetts continues its national leadership on LGBTQ issues. We congratulate Governor-Elect Charlie Baker on his victory, and we look forward to working with his administration to meet that mandate.

“We elected 19 of our endorsed pro-LGBTQ champions to Beacon Hill. In doing so, we won five open seats, and re-elected 13 champion incumbents. These champions will be essential to advancing our 2015-2017 agenda of supporting homeless LGBTQ youth, ensuring LGBTQ elders may age with dignity, and finishing the job of ensuring basic nondiscrimination protections for transgender individuals by securing public accommodations protections.”

###The MassEquality PAC stands with, develops, and elects candidates who outspokenly champion justice and equality for all LGBTQ people across Massachusetts. Since 2004, the PAC has consistently researched, interviewed and endorsed pro-equality candidates for both state and local offices. The six-member board works tirelessly to ensure that these candidates have the platforms to advocate for equality for all members of the LGBTQ community.

BREAKING: Maura Healey Becomes Nation’s First Openly-Gay State Attorney General

Tonight, Maura Healey became the Commonwealth’s Attorney General-Elect. When she takes office in January, she will be the country’s first openly gay state attorney general. The MassEquality PAC issued the first organizational endorsement in the attorney general’s race in December 2013. In response to Healey’s historic victory, MassEquality Executive Director KC Coredini issued the following statement:

“Maura’s win tonight is an historic victory for LGBTQ people and for LGBTQ equality. Maura has spent the last seven years in the attorney general’s office making the Commonwealth a national leader on LGBTQ issues with her vision, drive and talent. Now, as the country’s first openly gay state attorney general she is poised to make history again, not only with what more she will accomplish in this critical office, but with who she is. For LGBTQ young people everywhere, Maura is an example of how far they can go, and how much they can accomplish. We look forward to continuing to work with her to ensure a level playing field for all and to raise the bar on equality and justice, both across this state and the nation.”

This Thursday at 6 p.m., the Democratic Campaign will be holding an LGBTQ and allies phone bank to support Martha Coakley in these final days leading up to the General Election on Tuesday November 4!

Are you interested in phone banking for Martha Coakley and giving her the push she needs to win on November 4? Click here to sign up for the phone bank. Special guest candidate for Lieutenant Governor Steve Kerrigan will be at the phone bank!

BOSTON – October 16, 2014 – Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is scheduled to headline a fundraiser for Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito in Boston this evening. MassEquality Executive Director Kara Coredini offered the following response:

“It comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito’s records that Mitt Romney, who made a national name for himself opposing LGBT equality, would visit Boston to validate and raise funds for their gubernatorial ticket. Baker’s first act as a potential Governor has been to bring Polito, one of Romney’s closest lieutenants when she was in the State House and currently a rising star in the Tea Party, onto his ticket. As a lawmaker, Polito worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Romney in his relentless crusade to strip the Commonwealth’s same-sex couples of the freedom to marry, and she voted against repealing a racist anti-miscegenation law that Romney had revived to prevent same-sex couples from other states from marrying in Massachusetts. Polito opposed funding for support services for LGBTQ youth, and both Baker and Polito oppose protecting transgender people from discrimination. And, of course, both subscribe to the tenets of the state Republican Party, which “updated” its platform to oppose marriage equality earlier this year, just weeks before Massachusetts celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the freedom to marry.

“Today is Spirit Day, a national day of reflection on the bullying epidemic and its dire, sometimes fatal, consequences for LGBTQ youth. Because of leaders like Martha Coakley, who led our state’s Anti-Bullying Commission and earlier this year saw her LGBTQ anti-bullying bill passed and signed into law, our state has some of the strongest protections for youth. These young people need to have an advocate in the Corner Office who is invested in them. They cannot afford a Romney 2.0 administration and our Commonwealth, a national leader on civil rights and equality, can do better.”

Denise Andrews will be hosting candidate forums across the Second Franklin District where anyone can come and ask her questions to learn first-hand about her results, approaches and character.

Each forum will focus on jobs and economic development and an additional critical area of interest to our communities. Denise will invite up-the-ticket Democrats to participate in these forums together, increasing the opportunity for the district to have direct engagement with Democrats seeking their vote across the ticket and building connections to support and advance our communities and interests.

All candidates will have short opening and closing remarks and will then take questions from the audience.

Handouts explaining all ballot questions, the Democratic platforms and literature for democratic candidates across the ticket will be available where possible.